Ukraine returns 115 defenders from Russian captivity

Sat, August 24, 2024 - 14:36

2 min

Ukraine returns 115 defenders from Russian captivity

Photo: Ukraine returned 115 defenders from captivity (t.me/V_Zelenskiy_official)

On Independence Day, August 24, Ukraine and Russia conducted a prisoner exchange. 115 Ukrainian defenders were released from Russian captivity, according to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

The President noted that the released individuals include members of the National Guard, Armed Forces, Navy, and State Border Guard Service. The exchange was facilitated by the United Arab Emirates.

"Thank you to every unit that contributes to our exchange fund. This brings us closer to freeing our military personnel and civilians from Russian captivity. Thank you to our team and partners, and to the UAE for helping bring our people home," the President added.

Photo: 115 defenders returned home (t.me/V_Zelenskiy_official)

The Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War reported that all individuals rescued during the 55th prisoner exchange are conscripted servicemen, including those captured in the early months of the full-scale Russian invasion in 2022.

The release also included nine defenders who had been illegally convicted. Among those freed were naval personnel and three border guards, as well as 82 defenders of Mariupol (including about fifty who defended Azovstal). The rescued individuals include soldiers, sergeants, and sailors.

Also returning home are six National Guard members from the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant security unit, along with servicemen who defended the Kyiv, Donetsk, Kherson, and Luhansk regions.

The Ukrainian soldiers freed today also participated in intense battles for Hostomel and the backup command post of the General Staff in the Kyiv region, as well as the checkpoint Chonhar on the administrative border with temporarily occupied Crimea in the Kherson region.

t.me/Koord_shtab

Prisoner exchanges

Ukraine has now conducted 55 prisoner exchanges with Russia, successfully freeing 3,520 Ukrainians from Russian captivity.

The most recent exchange took place on July 17, when 95 defenders returned home.

It is important to note that during the offensive operation in the Kursk region, Ukrainian forces significantly increased the number of prisoners available for exchange. The Security Service of Ukraine (SSU) managed the largest single capture of enemy soldiers, taking 102 Russian troops, including members of the Kadyrov's Akhmat unit, into custody at once.

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